Housing's new power broker - Part 1

During a week in which Chris Woodhead was again making the headlines, there was little surprise that the appointment of housing's own version of the controversial Ofsted leader failed to find the front pages.

Naturally, this is due in part to housing's low public agenda. But it also reflects Roy Irwin's determination not to become the nemesis of housing directors across the country.

"I don't think fear is an especially good motivator," explains the new chief inspector of housing. "Working with people and helping them recognise when they are doing good work, rewarding good effort and good performance and best practice, it's more about those issues."

It is hard to imagine him saying anything else, given the gushing accolades afforded him ("personable", "good sense of humour", "excellent communicator", "witty", even "charming") since his appointment was announced on Monday.

A 45-year-old from Sheffield, Irwin has spent 25 years in social housing, including housing manager with Sheffield city council and as assistant director of housing and environmental services at Derby.

But it was further south in Bristol where he began to make a name for himself. Taking on the role of director of housing services at the city council in 1991, within two years he was spearheading a unique partnership with other local housing providers. Bristol became the first council in the UK to create an information technology-based common housing register - one contact point for people to find out about all local social housing.

Former housing minister David Curry heaped praise on the council for its work on tackling rough sleeping in the city. Curry said other councils outside London were "unsatisfactory" in comparison.

Irwin himself is more modest about the achievements, describing his role in them as only part of a bigger machine.

This modesty is reflected in his vision of the chief inspector of housing, which he says is far more "subtle" than Chris Woodhead's. "I will be working across the commission. It is a lot more of a team type of role, working with people, not as some sort of hired hand."

He insists that a positive outlook is essential in his current job, which is difficult enough without bogeymen and women breathing down your neck. And since he does not take up the post until October, there is plenty of time to reflect on the profile and challenges of the years ahead.

"I don't think [the job] is particularly straightforward but I think it is something do-able," he says. "I suppose its like 'Is the glass half full or half empty'. I say it is half full, and my role is to make it fuller and fuller and fuller.

"But if you have worked as a chief officer at a local authority things aren't exactly a doddle there either. I am still going to be running a housing service for the next few months, and I for one wouldn't want to be scared to death of the inspector coming. I don't want to be associated with a regime that says "You must do better" but when people say "How?" I say "I don't know"."

Doubtless music to the ears of housing officers everywhere. But there are some who warn that Irwin's bite can be worse than his mild-mannered bark.

Although denying claims that Irwin ruled over Bristol's numerous housing associations with a rod of iron, Paul Bullivant does concede that he can turn off the charm.

"Like all charismatic leaders of large organisations, Roy can be very difficult, but then he has to be," explains the former Bristol Churches chief executive. "He is also an extremely fair-minded person.

"He always took a firm stand. One has to in a city like Bristol where there are a number of associations jostling for position and too often competing rather than co-operating."

Nevertheless, the role Irwin intends associations will play in the inspection process will be minimal.

He says: "I don't think RSLs do fit in. Obviously they will be in the "interested professional" category, interested in learning, watching and observing, in the context of the role of the commission itself. The better RSLs will be making sure that they have been keeping up to date with the news on all fronts."

Such a statement may appear at odds with some of his past partnership achievements, but supporters maintain he is committed to serving tenants and has a clear vision of the direction in which the "housing industry", as he is known to call it, should be going.

Indeed, a strong public service ethos is essential in a role which involves encouraging better and better services in a world of tightening belts, Irwin says.

"You may want to buy a Rolls Royce but if your budget's only running a Renault Clio then you can't. It's about struggling for excellence, and when you find it communicating it to other people."

Working with others, both inside the commission and out, is still a fundamental part of his lofty new position.

"I'm not a single-handed yachtsman. There are things you do on your own, I'd say five or six per cent of a particular role. The other 95 or 96 per cent are your colleagues, whether inside or outside your organisation."

It is an approach he hopes will steer councils away from forming an "us against them" approach. "There is always that danger in any organisation within and between organisations," he admits.

"But the work that we have done in Bristol is about working across organisational barriers to benefit the service users."

Besides, Irwin maintains that the profile of chief inspector will not see him ensconced in an ivory tower. Rather, he hopes the initial interest of others in his new job will be replaced by a keeness to get on with achieving Best Value.

"It's all hyper-anxiety. It's like the pre-match warm up. People take a lot of interest in things when they are new to explore them. The Sinclair C5 had a profile when it came out."

It can only now be hoped that he has a little more success than Sir Clive did.